Hanukkah to be national holiday in Georgia

18 Dec 2012 in 9:46

Pyotr Lukimson, Israel. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

Israel appreciated the initiative by the prime minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili to make the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah an official holiday in Georgia. Ivanishvili spoke about this intention at a ceremony of lightning the Hanukkah candle in the central synagogue of Tbilisi.

“I wish the Jewish people a merry and happy Hanukkah. I’m proud to take part in this holiday. I congratulate you and the whole Jewish nation. I would like to emphasize that friendly relations between our nations have lasted for more than 2600 years… Since that time and forever we are united, and I believe that our friendship and unity will continue to improve… I wish we followed the example of the Jewish people and learnt from it, as all over the world Jews belong to the most progressive and high-powered part of the population,” Ivanishvili said.

There were leaders of the Jewish community of Georgia and dozens of honoured guests from Israel at the ceremony. Along with Ivanishvili’s plans on Hanukkah, Israel welcomed the law on protection of foreign investments adopted recently in Georgia. Georgians who live in Israel believe that this law will lead to a boost in Israel investment in the Georgian economy in the first half of 2013.